Little Secrets
by Passionate Cec
Summary: Post SWAK. Kate and Gibbs have a quiet evening after the emotionally breaking events of the past few days.


So, this is my newest story. It's another one shot and another episode sequel. You can either consider it a one off or as part of a series which would also hold _The fine Art of Cookie Loving_. The interpretation is up to you but you don't need to read the other story before (although if you haven't, please do =D).

The usual (honestly, does anybody ever read it?) :** I do not own NCIS, Kate, Gibbs or Tony (he's mentionned so let's not forget him). No money is being made from this. No copyright infringement intented. **

And last but definitely not least : Pretty pretty please with a cherry and chocolate sauce on top... **review =D**.

I love reviews. They make me happy. And a happy me writes more and will post more often because she wants to please her faithful readers (if I have any). Or should I suppose those who don't review just don't like it?

So bottom line : tell me what you think, good or bad I don't care (as long as you explain why you don't like, I can understand).

And now, I'll stop bugging you. If anyone is still reading at this point, thank you very much and you're very brave. Anyway, **enjoy**.

**Little Secrets**

'You think he'll be okay?' Gibbs heard from the woman in his arms. Her voice was raspy and he could feel through their clothes that she was very warm, too warm, probably feverish. He pondered on the answer to give her.

'He better. He's a strong guy. I'm sure he'll pull through.' Kate nodded, obviously not convinced. 'Come on, Katie. DiNozzo is too stubborn to give up on annoying you so quickly.' He heard her chuckle slightly, then sigh.

'I was worried.' Kate whispered. 'I was scared.'

He tightened his grip on her when he felt her body shivering. Whether from the fever or the emotion he wasn't sure, though he thought he had heard traces of crying in her voice and he was convinced if he looked down into her face, he would see tears, if not shed, at least filling her pretty eyes. But at the moment he was content just holding her close, her face against his chest, nuzzling his shirt.

'I know you were, honey.' He told her, whispering as well. 'It was very brave of you to stay with him.' He thought for a moment. 'Very stupid too. You could have gotten sick as well. But I don't want to think about that for now. I'll lecture you later. Let's just focus on you having been very brave.'

'I couldn't just leave him alone. If there is one thing I have learnt from seeing marines on a daily basis it's Semper Fidelis.' Gibbs smiled and kissed the top of her head. She probably wouldn't have left either way, the Semper Fi only comforted her in her choice and gave her a rational reason to stay. 'Couldn't leave a friend behind. He might be annoying and all, but he's still a good man and he's a friend and I couldn't leave him alone.'

'I know. It was a beautiful decision, Kate. I'm very proud of you.'

'I was so scared when they made me leave. He looked so bad and he was coughing so hard. I really thought that would be it.' He heard a sniffle.

'Katie, he's alright. Well, not right now but he will be. Soon He'll be back on his feet, annoying us and you'll wish he would go back to being sick because he went through your purse or your trash or whatever other idea he'll come up with while on leave.'

'How long will you be giving him?'

'Don't know yet. We'll see what the doctor says. But I'm sure we'll have lots and lots of quiet time at work.'

She chuckled again and coughed a couple of times. He pulled back and looked down at her. She looked up when she felt the movement. Her face was pale and looked slightly clammy. Her eyes were red and puffy but he didn't know if it was from the cold or the crying. Probably a little bit of both.

'You okay?'

'Yeah. Just didn't really get the rest you're supposed to get when you have a cold. A few quiet days and good nights of sleep and I'll be good as new.'

'And tea and honey.'

'Oh, yes. Lots of tea and honey.' He laughed at her enthusiasm. He felt in poke in the ribs and looked down again. 'Have you really never been sick?' Kate asked, remembering the conversation they had had at the office before all the circus began. She was honestly curious.

'Never ever.'

'Never had a sore throat and a runny nose?'

'Nope.'

'That's impossible.'

'Of course it's possible.'

'How?'

'Contrary to popular belief I don't control everything. Bugs are not among my kingdom. Guess they just don't like me.' She laughed.

'So Tony might actually be right.' She mused. He shot her a confused look and poked her back when she simply grinned – though the sick girl look kind of ruined the whole look. 'He said and I quote 'if you were a bug, would you attack Gibbs?' Maybe they are actually scared of you.'

'Yes. That must be it.' He answered nonchalantly.

'You'd love that, wouldn't you?' She teased.

'What if it were actually the truth?'

'Yeah, about as likely as me marrying the guy who got a disease from the seventeenth century.'

'Thanks for putting that image into my mind. Now I'm seeing you in a beautiful wedding dress standing next to DiNozzo with tights, a skirt like thing and those huge collar things they used to wear. And his skin looks like that of a Dalmatian.' She was laughing hysterically by then. He joined her, her laughter a great relief after the gloomy days they had just had.

'Ew. You really didn't need to share. You could have taken one for the team and suffered on your own.'

He brought her closer to him, though he wasn't quite sure how that was possible. He really needed to get a bigger couch if more cuddling on it was in their near future; this one just wouldn't do much longer. Not that he didn't enjoy having to hold her so close, but it really got quite uncomfortable to have to actually hold her so she wouldn't fall butt first on the floor. And she was small enough to fit on it, feet on one arm, head on the other. He didn't. The thing was too short, too narrow and he was definitely too old for those kind of acrobatics. But well if that was what it took to have Caitlin Todd in his bed, heart and life, who was he to complain? Really.

Still, he loved her but currently he wasn't ready to break his back because of a couch when they had a perfectly good bed just one hallway down. And they were ready for it too, pajamas on, teeth brushed and all. Why again had they come back in the living room? It had been her idea, that much he knew, but that was about it. He made to sit up, holding onto her arms so she wouldn't roll back down. She sent him a curious look.

'Off to bed with you. Like you said, you need rest. And I need a new couch.' She laughed softly again. 'Let's go.'

Kate stood up and waited for him before walking down the hallway towards to the bedroom. Half way down she felt Gibbs' arm circling her waist and a kiss being dropped on the side of her neck.

'I'm glad you didn't get sick, Katie.' He whispered against her ear before letting go and grabbing her hand, pulling her into the bedroom.

Kate smiled. She really was a lucky woman. The cold hearted bastard everyone knew Gibbs to be was so not the man she took home almost every night. Sometimes she had pondered that working with him and living with him would not cause any trouble as it felt like they were two different men. But that was only for the two of them to know. It was one of their little secrets and, as she fell into a fitful, resting sleep, she decided she wanted to share so many more little secrets with him.


End file.
